To Honor Mordecai

STUDY: #871-CHURCH IN THE HOUSES FROM: SEPTEMBER 22 @ 28, 2015

Topic: "To Honor Mordecai" Esther 6:6-11

Mordecai was a pious Jew living in Persia during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes). Queen Esther was Mordecai's relative and was his foster daughter (Esther 2:5-7, 15). Mordecai was a righteous man and had God’s favor upon him. On one occasion he had delivered the king from death when he discovered that two eunuchs were planning to kill him. King Ahasuerus was looking for a way to thank Mordecai for having delivered him of death (Esther 6:2). But, there was also a wicked man in the king's court named Haman who was first among all the princes of the kingdom and was an enemy of the Jews seeking the death of all the nation and especially Mordecai because he hated him. (Esther 3:5-6 "When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.") It happened that when the king wanted to thank and honor Mordecai he called precisely Haman to ask him what could be done to "the person to whom the king wanted to honor." Haman, pretentious and vain, attributed the honor himself thinking that the king wanted to honor him. (Esther 6:6 "When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor? Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?"). He never thought it was Mordecai who was in the king's mind. (Esther 6: 7-9 "So he answered the king, for the man the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse throughout the city streets, proclaiming before him: this is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!") Haman was deceived by his own hatred and vanity. The desire of that evil man was not to honor Mordecai; it was to hang him, eliminate him. The main reason for his anger was because he did not feel that Mordecai honored him. (Esther 3: 5). His pride was very high and pride produces hatred, hatred for anyone who he believes has gone beyond him. Take care of yourself and do not befriend anyone like Haman! Haman always schemes in his mind to do harm. The arrogant cannot have peace. Pride produces hatred. People like Haman spend their time looking to move the shovel to bury in the grave those whom they hate. The danger is not knowing who they’re dealing with, because hatred comes from the devil and the devil seeks God's chosen to finish them. It is against God that Haman rises.

All this evil comes since the devil rose against the Creator. (Ezekiel 28: 14-15 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.") Satan's hatred is against God because of pride, pride and hatred for believing he is too great and for wanting to usurp God's glory. He has always sought to destroy what is from God. For this reason Haman was in the king's court seeking to

destroy Mordecai. Haman arrived at the palace at the most inconvenient time for him, as it was the moment in which the king was considering how he could reward Mordecai’s action. The king was so eager to see Mordecai and to reward him that he asked: Who is in the courtyard? No one could enter the inner court without being called. What better occasion for Haman’s revenge against Mordecai! He thought: "I am in luck!" His own wickedness pushed him taking him thru the road that was leading to his own destruction! They tell the king that it was Haman who was in the courtyard and King Ahasuerus might have thought: Who better that than Amman to organize the honorable tribute that would be rendered to Mordecai." The king did not know of the great enmity that existed between them. Haman thought: "The king is in my favor." And when the king asked: What is the best way to dispense a royal favor to a person that the king considers worthy of such an honor; that will be done to the man whom the king desires to honor? He thought it was for him and so he served with all generously; with full hands. (Vs. 8.9) He suggested that such be dressed with the royal robe the king has worn, a garment that only a king wears. It is a gift that gives much honor and which is delivered with great ceremony. He asked to be mounted on the horse that the king rode (Persia is the country of horses). And to ride the spirited steed which the king rode would take the eyes of his subjects (that fills the eyes and sells) a kind of sacredness for that circumstance. This way the king's subjects would sell themselves to Haman and he would steal the king’s place. He also suggested that the royal crown be placed on the head. But, what a surprise when the king tells Haman: Go and do so with Mordecai! (Esther 6:10 "Go at once, the king commanded Haman. Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.) Haman’s face was deformed; for him the whole picture had changed. He became confused with the king's command. Haman expected to hear: "You are that man." It was not only that the king appointed Mordecai to render him such a great honor but rather it would be Haman himself who would do it to Mordecai the Jew, the man he most hated and whose execution he plotted on the gallows with so much precipitation. Haman fell in the net of his own words that came out of his mouth! After that Mordecai returned to the royal court as usual. And the evil Haman went to his house so stunned that he covered his head as a sign of mourning (Vs.12). Having to pay such honor to his greatest enemy was enough to break his proud heart. All his moves were the worst; his proud heart was capable of destroying a just man. All that hatred, pride and wickedness finally led Haman to die on the same gallows he prepared for the righteous Mordecai. (Esther 7:10 "So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided.") Let always take care of our heart from pride, hatred and ambition. Let us be faithful, humble and simple, meek like doves. May it be God who rewards us and not man! Amen.